Car liner



G. O. LORENZ CAR LINER Feb. 21, 1933.

Filed May 12, 1932 3mm G 0. LORENZ Patented Feb. 21, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT; OFFICE GUS OLIVER LORENZ, OF SHELBYVILLE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO THE KENNEDY CAB CI LINER & BAG- CO., OF SHELBYVILLE, INDIANA, A CORPORATION OF INDIANA can LINER Application filed May 12,

This invention relates to ceiling liners for freight cars designed for the protection of goods shipped in the freight car from leakage of moisture or the sifting of dust through the car roof; It relates to that type of ceiling liner comprising a flexible sheet of material, preferably, from the standpolnt of cost, of paper, either water-proof or sem1 water-proof, folded into a relatively small package prior to use and adapted to be spread the full length and width of the car ceiling, with marginal portions adapted to be defined by tacking the liner close into the roof angles and to extend a short distance down the sides and ends of the car.

The spreading of a canopy of such unwieldy size is ordinarily extremely unhandy, particularly when it is made of paper, and it frequently becomes torn in the operation, 1m-

pairing its'value as a shield for the protec-- tion of the underlying goods.

The present invention has for-its principal object, the packaging of the tent in the form of a longitudinally folded sheet dlsposed in a compact, orderly series of folds or accordion pleats, extending alternately in opposite directions and being provided alongats longitudinally folded edge with alm ng grommets, one for each pleat, through whlch, while the sheet is still in compact folded state, a suspension wire may be passed for suspending the packaged liner longitudinally along the median line of the car near the roof by stretching the wire longltudinally and securing it in any desired manner to the opposite end walls of the car, from which position the liner may be readily expanded, both longitudinally and. withwise wlthout the risk of its being torn and in a manner greatly to facilitate its installation.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the following description of a preferred and practical embodiment thereof proceeds. Referring now to the drawing which depicts an illustrative embodiment of the invention, and throughout the several figures of which, the same characters of reference have been employed to designate identical parts: a

' Figure 1 is a perspective view of a freight .car.

1832. Serial No. 610,906.

car showing the liner'of the present invention ininstalled position,

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the liner in suspended position, but expanded only sufficiently to illustrate the alined relation of the grommets and the manner of introducing the wire or cord-there through while the package is folded; and

Figure 3 is a perspective View of the liner seam. It is also folded in the form of a series of accordion pleats 3 of any suitable width so as to reduce the bulk of the sheet downto a compact orderly package. Along the seam 2 and preferably, although not necessarily,

centrally of the pleats, a series of eyelets or grommets 4 are provided,'said grommets being preferably set in reinforcing tabs 5, folded over the edge of theseam 2 and being retained beneath the riveted ends of th'e'grommets. lVhen the accordion pleats 3 are pressed fiat together, the grommets 4 are in alinenient. When in this position, a string or wlre 6 can be passed through the grommets without difliculty.

The liner is installed by driving a nail or A I screw eye in the opposite end walls of the car near the roof and in the median line of the The wire or cord 6 is suspended in taut relation between said nails or screw eyes with the packaged liner threaded thereupon in the manner shown in Figure 2.

then spread laterally by the operator standing under'it and pushing the unfolded sheet It is then pulled out longitudinally for a certain distance and snugly in the longitudinal roof angles of the car and tacking it in place in said angles as indicated at 7 in Figure 1'. If the tent is to be folded down against the ends of the car as shown at S in Figure 1, then two or three of the pleats should be left off of the suspending I cord or wire as shown at 9 in Figure 3, and

the free portion folded down by pressing it snugly into the roof angle at the ends of the car and securing it as by the tacks 10.

In this manner the lining or roof tent may be installed with facility and without the risk of tearing the paper, since not only is the liner suspended throughout its length by the cord or wire 6, but the compactness of the packaged sheet and the fact that the wirevca-n be threaded through the grommets while it is still in folded position makes it but the work of a moment to get it ready for installation as contrasted with the usual method of unfolding an unwieldy sheet and passing a string individually through grommets or other apertures formed in its top.

While I have in the above description disclosed what I believe to be a preferred and practical embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that the details of construction as shown and described are merely illustrative and not to be construed as limiting the scope of the invention as claimed.

What I claim is:

Car liner comprising a flexible sheet of material of sutficient stiffness to lie when folded in planar areas, said sheet being folded double longitudinally to form a single longitudinal mid-seam, the thus folded sheet being folded along linesperpendicular to the line of said longitudinal fold, in alternately reversed directions forming a series of pleats, grommets set in said pleats adjacent the line of said longitudinal fold, said grommets being located so as to aline when said pleats are laid together for receiving a suspending element adapted to be stretched from end to end of a car, and the sides of said folded sheet being adapted when said mid-seam is extended, to be spread laterally in opposite directions and secured in spread position, forming a canopy.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

GUS OLIVER LORENZ. 

